Colorado department of public health & Environment

summitville mine water treatment facility

The purpose of this facility was to reduce environmental hazards associated with the Summitville Mine Superfund Site. This included treating the contaminated water that runs down from the mines and collects in the impoundment dam below the site. Before the water exits the site via Wightman Fork, it is pumped to the water treatment facility for purification.

The project replaces the existing water treatment facility with a new state-of-the-art facility capable of handling the flow requirements of the site. Located in the San Juan Mountains near Del Norte, the water treatment facility site is in a high altitude environment at 11,300 ft above sea level. The water treatment facility operates from late spring to early fall.

Snow drifting had damaged the existing buildings on site, therefore special care was taken in the selection of durable exterior materials. The water treatment facility building is designed for a life of 50 years.